Huge Success from Gardiner, Oregon, Event

Last weekend, the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce sponsored the Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival-Confluence 2007 event that took place in nearby Gardiner, Oregon. More than 1,300 people attended this first annual event from as far north as Corvallis and as far south as Roseburg along the I-5 corridor. On the Oregon Coast, it was visited by those from Florence to Coos Bay and beyond.

We had many volunteers, including the Gardiner Fire Department who directed traffic and many alcohol monitors. It all went off without a hitch and people had a great time. The seven bands, wineries, seafood and craft vendors, and breweries were successful.

Bus Stops for Coastal Douglas County Festival this weekend

This weekend will be the first annual Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival - Confluence 2007. Located just two miles north of Reedsport, the event will take place at the old W.F. Jewett School Building in Gardiner. The hours of the festival are noon - 8pm Saturday and on Sunday from noon - 6pm. This is the beginning of a new tradition in Coastal Douglas County, where the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce puts on more events than any other chamber in Oregon.

For those of you coming from out of town and for locals, there will be a free shuttle bus that will make stops at the following locations:
Winchester Bay:
Winchester Bay RV Resort at 120 Marina Way
Bayfront Loop near Keel Park

Reedsport:
Reedsport High School: Circle Drive
Price 'N Pride

Gardiner:
Old IP Sawmill site parking lot across from the Fox Hole

These free shuttles will run every half hour. Plenty of free parking in Winchester Bay, Reedsport's Price 'N Pride, and at the sawmill site. Don't miss it.

Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival event next weekend on the Oregon Coast

Next weekend (February 17 & 18) is the Wine, Beer, Seafood & music festival - Confluence 2007. Located at the old W.F. Jewett School building in Gardiner, this event promises to be unlike any other found on the Oregon Coast. The event will begin on Saturday, February 17 at noon and end at 8pm. Sunday, the event will begin at noon and end at 6pm.

Following are some of the highlights:
Seven bands will play throughout both days
Five Oregon Wineries
Two Oregon Microbreweries
Seafood vendors
Craft vendors
Free shuttle service to the event from Winchester Bay, Reedsport, and Gardiner
Plenty of FREE parking available at the old International Paper sawmill site in Gardiner Admission is only $5 per day Must be 21 years or older

Park your RV at the Winchester Bay RV Resort or other RV campgrounds out in Winchester Bay and take the shuttle to Gardiner. Stay in one of Reedsport's motels and take the shuttle from Reedsport High School or the Price 'N Pride parking lot.

Enjoy the weekend in beautiful Coastal Douglas County. It's an outdoor person's paradise with fishing, atv riding, clamming, crabbing, and hiking. Birding and wildlife watching is also available. Beat the cold and come over to the warmer Reedsport, Winchester Bay, and Gardiner area.

Dean Vincent seminar coming to Reedsport

Branding a community or area is increasing in popularity and importance, especially for towns so heavily dependant on tourism. Reedsport, Gardiner, and Winchester Bay are coastal Douglas County communities in that situation. Situated in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, these communities are beginning to collaborate more effectively to bring people to our piece of the Oregon Coast.

To that end, Dean Vincent, well-known marketing genius, will be facilitating a workshop that will lead Reedsport businesses through a process to determine what are the most effective marketing tools to collaboratively build their businesses. Located at the Port of Umpqua Building in Reedsport, the two-workshop set will begin tonight, February 6, at 6pm. The second workshop will be held on Thursday at the same time. The cost for these two-hour workshops is only $10. For reservations, contact 541-756-6778.

Those responsible for bringing these important workshops to our area include the Port of Umpqua, Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce, Southwestern Business Development Center, COR (Connecting Oregon for Rural Entrepreneurship), and the Umpqua Community Development Corporation. A grant was received from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Planning Memorial Day Celebration in Reedsport

Planning for Reedsport's huge Memorial Day Celebration is in the works. According to Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce event chair Mark Bedard, the USMC 29 Palms Marine Corp Combat Center Band has agreed to play at this year's event. It is a thrill and honor to have them perform again this year.

Their schedule in Reedsport will include a free concert one evening, march in the Memorial Day Parade, and a performance during the Celebration on Memorial Day. They will also make a trip to Winchester Bay for some marching and concert

It is quite expensive to lodge, feed, and transport the 51 members of the USMC Combat Center Band. The Chamber offers an "Adopt a Marine" program to help defray some of the costs and local businesses provide either free or reduced rate meals for the members during their stay. Due to added security measures put into place after 9-11, the band members are only permitted to stay in hotels, not private residences. One can imagine the cost involved for at least a four-night stay.

Last year there were also parachute jumpers with a huge American flag and flybys in formation. There may be other bands that will perform this year. The event is free and more information will be available as planning progresses.

Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber's Annual Dinner Huge Success

Last Saturday night , the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce held their Annual Dinner in Reedsport. It was a big success.

Each year the Chamber hosts an annual dinner for their membership. This year we opened it up to community members. During this event, the Chamber president for the previous year talks about what took place during that year, and the incoming president talks about the year ahead. New to the entertainment roster, were two stand-up comedians. They were great!

Located on the Central Oregon Coast, the Chamber presented awards for the following:

Business Person of the Year: Scotty and Jackie Lewis

Volunteer of the Year:
Tom Anderson, Chief for the Reedsport Fire Department

Community Service awards:
Stan Bates, Christmas in July
Ike Launstein, Lower Umpqua Economic Development Forum
Jim Akre, Reedsport High School Boosters Club
Brad Allred, athletic coach at Reedsport High School
Leah Hoover, Student Representative to the Reedsport High School

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty awards:
Debbie McKinney, Fullhart Insurance
Jeff Vander Kley, Harbor Manager for Salmon Harbor

The event was catered by Bedrock's Pizzeria, Chowder House and Grill, and there were more than 115 persons in attendance.

Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival event draws near

Only three more weeks till the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce hosts the Wine, Beer, Seafood & Music Festival (February 17 & 18). This event will be held in Gardiner at the Old Jewett School Building at 325 High Street. When you drive on Highway 101, you can see the school up on the hill.

Parking and shuttle service will be available at the old International Paper Sawmill Site right on Highway 101 across the street from the Fox Hole. Shuttle service is also available from the Winchester Bay RV Resort and Coho Point in Winchester Bay as well as at Price & Pride in Reedsport.

Advertising for the event will begin next week. There will be ads in newspapers and on radio stations along the I-5 corridor as well as in the Coos Bay, North Bend, Reedsport, and Florence areas.

At a cost of only $5 per day, guests will enjoy music of many genres, wine, beer, as seafood and craft vendors. Tickets may be purchased at the door or at the Reedsport/Winchester Chamber of Commerce at the corner of Highway 101 & 38 in Reedsport. On Saturday night, the Eugene-band "The Cheeseburgers" will perform. They will play danceable tunes from 6:30pm to 8pm. This event is not to be missed.

So many events in the Reedsport area

Here in Coastal Douglas County, there are so many events it's hard to keep up. While it may rain more on the Oregon Coast than it does inland, the weather is fine for events and outdoor activities.

Last weekend in Reedsport, the Cat's Meow event was a big success. As a fundraiser for the Coastal Douglas Arts and Business Alliance (CDABA) and Great Afternoons, they had a silent auction of ceramic cats painted by local artists and enthusiasts. Local restaurants donated scrumptious appetizers and a local band played some great dance music.

Also last weekend was the Annual Gardiner STEP dinner in Winchester Bay. Gardiner's Salmon Trout Enhancement Program holds a dinner for their membership where they talk about the accomplishments for prior year and goals for the new year. Due to the efforts of STEP to seed our rivers with salmon and trout, we have more than ample supply of fish. One of the oldest STEP programs in Oregon, they recently held a statewide conference to discuss their techniques with STEP advancements and achievements.

Next weekend (January 27) is the Annual Dinner for the members and our communities. They will discuss accomplishments for 2006, disclose their 2007 roster of board members, present recognition awards, and comedians. Tickets are $25, which covers a wonderful gourmet meal and the entertainment. Reservations for the dinner will be accepted until the end of the day Thursday, January 26th at 5pm.

Hinsdale House, Reedsport, Oregon Coast Update

At a Reedsport Rotary meeting this week, a representative from the Coos Bay office of the BLM talked about the Hinsdale House along the north side of Umpqua River. This Oregon Coast house and its gardens were sold to the BLM years ago with the stipulation that the gardens be saved. The property has been an albatross around its neck ever since due to its limited access and the house is not up to code.

In 1998, a group of nearby citizens (the Friends of Spruce Reach Island) rallied to save the 1912 house from demolition. More than 650 people showed up for a tour of this historic house across the river that is currently only accessible by boat. The gardens contain more than four hundred rhododendrons that are 50 and 100 years old as well as many rare trees and shrubs in the garden. This group and others were successful in preventing the decaying structure that is not up to code from being torn down.

At the Rotary meeting this week, BLM rep Elaine mentioned that it was working with the American Rhododendron Society to establish a national historic site there so that the gardens could be preserved. For those interested in helping in the gardens, a work party is planned for this spring (2007).

The BLM has received $60,000 that will go towards repairing the existing bridge that leads to the property. Recently two acres were purchased on the east side of the bridge that could possibly serve as a parking area in the future. Regarding the home of former Oregon Senator Henry Hinsdale, the BLM is in a quandry because a rare bat has taken residence in the home and they are obliged to preserve its habitat. There may be a way to renovate the home that could preserve the bat's habitat but the jury is still out on this one.

The BLM is also looking for ideas of activities to get people to come out to the gardens. Someone at Rotary, suggested they re-institute the "May Tea" that used to be held on the island. Elaine also mentioned possible garden tours. They would like to see the site become self-sustaining in the future.

Latest at Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area-Central Oregon Coast

Yesterday, while attending a Reedsport Rotary meeting, they had a speaker from the Coos Bay branch of the Bureau of Land Management speaking about the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area.

Here on the Central Oregon Coast, there is a great place to watch a herd of Roosevelt Elk and for birding just eight miles east of Reedsport on Highway 38. More than 100 elk are located on this 1,040 acre parcel that includes 440 acres of pasture and wetland, as well as 600 acres in the foothills. It is maintained by BLM in collaboration with community organizations, private businesses, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Since its purchase in the mid 1980s, many improvements have been made. The O.H. Hinsdale Interpretive Center was constructed with funds raised by the community and includes great pictures of various wildlife species found on site. The swallows that nest in the roof are fun to watch dive-bomb mosquitoes hovering over the marshy areas. Once I saw a beaver at dusk swimming nearby. The red-winged blackbirds sit on the tall marsh grass and the Canadian Geese feed out in the meadow.

In my opinion, the best time to see the elk at Dean Creek is in mid-September and early October when they're getting ready to mate. The large bucks with their huge racks start butting heads. My parents, with their video camera, still talk about their visit to Oregon to see the elk. The spring is also a good time because you can see the calves.

Especially in the early morning or at dusk during the winter, the elk are near the pull-out areas and close photos are easily captured. According to Elaine from BLM, they are currently working on some tide gate repairs and there may be a short traffic delay on Highway 38 next week while the Oregon Department of Transportation replaces one.

Also, she said the Umpqua Soil Conservation will be moving into the "East End Ranch House" in early February. They are currently located in the old W.F. Jewett School in Gardiner. This will be a good partnership for both entities as the Umpqua Soil will help to maintain the site once they move in. The BLM has been working diligently to return the area to its natural, self-sustainable state from the ranch land it once was. Umpqua Soil will aid in that endeavor.

Oregon Dune Mushers' Mail Run

There's nothing like this event anywhere else in Oregon. In March of each year, the Oregon Dune Mushers take to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for a 75-mile trek between North Bend and Florence. Teams of four to five through 10 to 12 dogs go the distance to commemorate a time when sailing ships and horse-drawn coaches were the mode of transportation along the Oregon Coast.

Making stops in Lakeside, Winchester Bay, and Florence, humans and dogs meet the challenges of roads, trails, beaches, and huge sand dunes during this two-day event. As a fundraiser for the Oregon Dune Mushers, commemorative envelopes are signed and carried by each musher. Stamps on the envelopes are canceled in each of the three stops. In the past, proceeds from the sale of these envelopes have gone towards sponsoring Oregon Mushers to the 1,200-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska.

While watching this event, spectators gain an appreciation for the difficulties of pioneer life on the Oregon Coast when the Pacific Ocean beaches were used as highways. Even though the railroad to the Gardiner area was completed in 1914 and therefore halted the use of this area as a "highway," the Oregon Department of Transportation considers the beach area, between the low-tide mark to the mean high-tide mark, part of its highway system.

The idea for this event came from its founder Jim Tofflemire in 1977 after participating in the Iditarod Trail Race from Anchorage to Nome. The date of this annual event varies depending on the tide schedules. Check out their website for updated information and plan to jump in your cars and hit the Central Oregon Coast for this event.

Whale Watching along the Oregon Coast

Over the Christmas holiday, we traveled up to the Inn at Otter Crest in Otter Rock, south of Depoe Bay. The day after Christmas we walked from the Inn to Devil's Punchbowl State Park.

Unbeknownst to us, it was the first day of winter whale watching season. Two Forest Service volunteers were there with their "whale watch spoken here" buttons, construction-orange vests, and binoculars. While we did not see any whales that day, it was a fun time and we learned a lot.

According to these happy folks, the best place to watch for whales is in Depoe Bay where the town is closer to the ocean than many places along the Oregon Coast. Each year 18,000 whales travel from Alaska during a four-week period from mid-December to mid-January. Between Christmas and New Year's serves as Whale Watch Week up and down the Oregon Coast.

In Winchester Bay, there is a whale watching platform opposite the Umpqua River Lighthouse.

During that week, Forest Service volunteers are on hand with tips regarding effective whale watching and to interpret possible sightings. The best places to see whales is from cliffs next to the ocean. Whales can be seen approximately five miles off shore, but many are seen just one to two miles off the beach as they travel down to the lagoons of Baja, Mexico, to breed.

Between March and June, these whales will travel up the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington on their way to the Bering Sea. At the Whale Watching Platform next to the Umpqua River Lighthouse, volunteers will be out between March 25 and the 31st for another round of whale watching.

Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber's Annual Dinner

The Reedsport Chamber is hosting their Annual Dinner at the Reedsport Community Building in a couple of weeks. On January 27, the Chamber will give a report of its activities during 2006 and what the future holds for 2007. But wait... before you fall asleep... there's more. They've also hired comedians Tony Castle and Grace White to entertain you.

Everyone is invited to this event. The cost for this event is $25 and it will be catered by Bedrock's Pizza Tickets are available at the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce office at the intersection of highways 101 and 38 in Reedsport.

"It's the Cat's Meow" Gala - January 20th

Want an excuse to come over to the coast and beat the cold? Just around the corner is another Reedsport event called the RCLC & CDABA Gala, and this year's theme is "It's the Cat's Meow." This is a benefit for the Coastal Douglas Arts and Business Alliance, the Reedsport Community Learning Center and Great Afternoons program.

Scheduled for January 20, from 7:00 - 11:00 pm, this benefit will take place at the Reedsport Community Building at 451 Winchester Avenue in Reedsport, Coastal Douglas County.

This year ceramic cats, in the theme of the famous musical, will be auctioned. Local and international artists are currently finishing up their cat banks and the excitement of seeing these cats is building in town. A big shindig in Reedsport, attendees are being asked to dress either in their favorite cat suits, semi-formally, or casually.

Local restaurants will be supplying plenty of food and Bradley Vineyards will be serving wine. Should be quite a hoot and a worthy cause to support. Local dance band, PBA & the Hot Flashes, will play dance music from the '70s, '80s, and '90s.


Tickets are available from CDABA or Great Afternoons board members, the Family Resource Center and the RCLC office, or at the door. The price is $20 in advance and $25 at the door.